Helsinki African Film Festival 2013:The Portrayal of African Youths Power through the camera lens

Wanjiku wa Ngugi Director Helsinki African Film Festival 
having a chat with Ike Chime

 The Helsinki African Film Festival, HAFF  for the year 2013 is around the conner. It is scheduled take place from 8.5 - 12.5. The theme for this year's festival is 'Youths Power'. According to HAFF director, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, this year's line up of films among other things will address questions like; 

• What does it mean to be a young African today? 
• What are their dreams, loves, and hates? 
• How does young Africans negotiate power as they claim                                                                           their place in the society.

Two special guest directors are expected during this year's festival, they are Kenya born David Tosh Gitonga, director of the award-winning 'Nairobi Half Life'. 
The other one is Harrikrisna Anenden from Mauritius whose film Children of Troumaron won the Oumarou Ganda prize for the first best film at Fespaco 2013.


I spoke with HAFF's director, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, and during the interview she gave more  detail about the organization, with emphasis on HAFF-2013.

Video interview with Wanjiku wa Ngugi. Director Helsinki International Film Festival

                  

           Trailer of some of the 22 films to be screened in this year's festival

                                            

 

        For more detailed information on HAFF-2013, go to http://www.haff.fi/2013/en

Fela Kuti Alive in Finland as Afrobeat Fever Hits Helsinki This Spring. The Show; Beats of a BArds Country

When my good friend, the multi talented artist Hossni Boudali told me he was embarking on a project concerning a musical about the life of the Afrobeat icon Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, the first thing that came to my mind was Waoo! do you think you can pull this one? When I put that question across to him, he assured me with confidence that he would. I have had the opportunity of watching and participating in some of the rehearsal session, and must say I was impressed by mostly the enthusiasm shown by all involved, and most especially the lessons being learnt on the issue of diversity and tolerance through Fela's story.

Fela Anikulakpo Kuti

The show will première on Friday the 26 of April at the Helsinki International Cultural Centre. The actors, and dancers in the show are mostly volunteers, and the drive according to some of them being the love for dancing, and acting.  What makes this show even more interesting is that most of the actors and dancers are students, some of whom dancing in a show for the first time. There are also volunteers  from different works of life, and some asylum seekers.

Apart from producing arts, and promoting multicultural interaction,  this show is also providing opportunities for the participants learn new things about Africa, through the life of Fela Kuti, it also provided them the opportunity to meet with other people.

Info:
Event: Fela Musical (Beats of a BArd Country)
Date: Fri 26 April 2013
Venue: International Cultural Centre (CAISA)

Samba At The Old CAISA - 2001

Ike Chime and Wilberforce Essandor at old CIASA
foto by Anu

The early 90s through to the early 2000 in my point of view saw a big wave of alternative culture in Finland making an upsurge into the mainstream. The highest peak was during the depression of the 90s. At this time, many businesses that had some degree of monopoly in their area of trade went bankrupt. A lot of large spaces even in the core city centre of Helsinki became affordable. No wonder it was then possible to have a club, and

bar owned  an African in a place so central as by the railway station,which otherwise would not have been possible; a place called 'Jambo. Indeed there were two Jambos, Jambo I & Jambo II, all owned by the same guy. Jambo II in Kaisaniemi and Jambo I by the railway square; in the middle of these two, and on the same block, were also two important places that supported, and afforded alternative cultural activities. They were Bar Fat Mama, which ran the Finnish pioneer reggae club, the Punkky Reggae Party; a subject I intend to do full coverage on very soon, and, the old International Cultural Centre, CISA. 

Eliane Ricardo Mulkanen
Dancer/Tropical Show

For now, let us dwell on the old International Cultural Centre.

The old CAISA was such a memorable place, I am sure all the people the experienced the place will agree with me. The place exuded a warm atmosphere that nourished creativity, and willingness to participate. It was a home to all with its open door policy, and less bureaucracy. The workers were always handy to welcome anyone who popped in, and would willingly help out with any information you seek. The centre's restaurant was an important meeting point and hangout. Many new comers to Helsinki started making meaningful contacts that affected their future in a very positive way at the centre.

Meissa Niang & Fidelis Tungaraza
foto by Anu

Cultural activities were in abundance. Every day something was going on, and people were constantly coming in and going out. Celebrations, arts exhibitions, theatre, dance lessons, music concerts, were some of the various activities that went on constantly at the centre.

Here is video excerpt on one of many activities at the old CAISA I covered for the defunct ATV (Alue Televisio) in 'Mokustadi' A program I
designed for the showcasing of Helsinki as an international and multicultural European city.
N/B. This video is in Finnish language. Enjoy!

     History is not what happened; History is what it felt like to be there when it happened
     George F Kennan

  

In The Begining

AFROBEAT is a globally accepted music genre, a term coined, and created by the legendary late Nigerian musician and social activist Fela Anikulakpo Kuti.

For the purpose of this blog, the term Afrobeat will include the music genre, but will go beyond it to cover all forms of African impact and influences on the emerging international Finland.

Ike Chime with Femi Kuti, son of Fela Anikulakpo Kuti - Helsinki 1997  

In the late 80s when this writer stepped into Finland, there was quite a little known about the real Africa by most Finns other than the basic mainstream media's stereotypical information. I was to find myself pioneering the first African music and culture program by an African, on the then Finnish pioneer private commercial radio station, Radio City FM, 96.2MHz.

Lepakko Luola (The Bat Cave)
This was the legendary subculture headquarters in Finland in those days, and that was where Radio City was located. Just arriving in Finland, and finding myself in the very center of popular music culture within a month of arrival was quite exciting, as it was challenging.  

Leppako was a multifunctional cultural center. It housed a concert hall (The Cave) a promotion outfit, a backline and event company, a bar and restaurant, numerous rehearsal rooms for musicians, facilities for skateboarding, a motorbike gang, a radio station, and more.

A great number of people who are leading personalities in todays Finnish media and entertainment industry passed through the 'Lepakko school'. It was unfortunate that the structure that housed all these facilities was pulled down, as it gave way to a corporate building, marking the end of Lepakko, and a large chunk of the Finnish subculture.

  

A sample of the program 'Sunsplash Africa' Radio City Helsinki 1991 by Presenter/Reporter, Ike Chime